


It's a Maid's Life for Me

by Marksider89



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, F/M, Gen, Motorcycles, Multi, Pseudo-role reversal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-24
Updated: 2019-07-31
Packaged: 2019-11-04 17:53:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17902775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marksider89/pseuds/Marksider89
Summary: After losing everything, Amélie Lacroix finds herself applying for the position of a live-in maid.  What she didn't expect was that she'd fall for the family's mysterious daughter.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> *Obligatory Disclaimer* Overwatch and its characters are copyright Activision/Blizzard. I do not own them and make no money off their use in this story.
> 
> This story was loosely inspired by "A world where roses bloom" by Anonymous_Kraken as well as "Of Dresses and Suits" by radstickers, except, instead of Lena secretly being a part of the British monarchy, she just secretly the daughter of a wealthy family. Sort of a role reversal idea, kinda.
> 
> Also, all Overwatch characters are 5 years younger than their canon ages (except Hana, of course), so Lena is 21, Amélie is 28, etc.

“Yes.  Hello?” she spoke into  the intercom. “My name is Amélie Lacroix.  I am here about the position for a live-in maid?”

After a few awkwardly quiet seconds, the wrought iron gates of Oxton Manor creaked open.  Letting out a breath, Amélie made her way up the long driveway. The Manor was not the largest house she’d seen, but it still dwarfed most average homes.  It resembled an American colonial-style home, but she estimated that it covered about twice the land.

Just as she reached the front door to the massive house, it swung open to reveal a mountain of a man.  Now, was that a mountain sized man, or a man shaped mountain? She wasn't sure. His hair and beard were both white and he had a scar across one milky eye.  Despite the well-tailored suit that he wore, she estimated that he could probably snap her in two with one hand if she made the mistake of making any kind of aggressive move at him.  She expected him to scowl at her, but his face was gentle and kind.

“Welcome!” he bellowed in a thick German accent.  “Come in!.”

 _‘He's...German?  What is a German doing in England?’_ Amélie thought.  Before she could ponder it further, he ushered her inside.

The hall was big, but not quite as big as she had expected.  The walls were lined with chairs, which she suspected was not the norm.  In several of those chairs were other men and women, who were here for the same reasons she was.

Trying to pretend that they weren't all staring at her, she made her way to one of the chairs and sat down.  As surreptitiously as possible, she scoped out the competition. It was mostly women, but there were a few men as well.  Most were older than her, but a few were younger. Some were dressed in suits or dresses, and others were dressed casually.  Amélie herself wore a simple dark purple dress shirt with black pants and black dress shoes. Neat and professional, but not formal, stuffy, nor sloven.

As time passed, interviewees came and went, until finally, her name was called.  She made her way into the room that she had seen the others had go into and out of, and was pleasantly surprised to see it was a library.  Amélie had always been an avid reader, and to see the walls lined with book warmed her heart.

At the center of the room were three tall armchairs.  One was situated across from the other two. In those two sat a blonde and a brunette respectively.  The blonde appeared to be in her late forties or so. Her hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail and she was dressed professionally in a red blazer and matching pants and shoes.  The brunette appeared to be about Amélie's age. She wore glasses and her hair was tied into a bun with a large needle of some kind through it. She was dressed a bit more casually than the blonde, with a plain black henley shirt and dress pants with a white apron.  Another maid, perhaps? They both held notepads in their hands.

“Please, have a seat.” the blonde woman said, gesturing to the empty armchair.  As Amélie sat down, the blonde spoke again. “Thank you for coming. I am Diane Oxton, and this is Mei-Ling Zhou, our current maid.  If you get this job, you will be taking over for her, but she will stay on for a couple months to show you the ropes. Normally, my husband, James, would be here as well, but he got called away to work, and-”

She was cut off by the sound of a door slamming.  Everything seemed to go silent for a moment. Then, the sound of someone running up a flight of stairs, taking them two at a time.

“...and that was most likely my daughter, Lena.” Diane said with a bit of a sigh.  She noticed the confused look Amélie gave her. “Don’t get me wrong, I love my daughter, and she has a heart of gold, but lately, she’s been...distant.” she said sadly.

Realizing that she'd created an awkward silence, Diane broke it by clearing her throat.  “Anyways, we have an interview to conduct. Now then, you are Amélie Lacroix, correct?”

“Oui.  I mean...Yes.”

“Alright.  Now, do you have any experience as a maid?”

“I am afraid that I have no _professional_ experience, but when I was young, my mother was insistent that I learn how to clean.  She believed that it would teach me the value of hard work and respect for those who are less fortunate than I.”

“I see.  Now, why are you _really_ here Ms. Guillard?”

Amélie’s eyes widened at the sudden use of her real name.  “I...I beg your pardon?”

Diane gave a soft chuckle.  “You must not remember me. We met at your parent’s Christmas party three years ago.”

The mention of her parents felt like a punch to the gut.  Amélie took a breath to steady herself and cleared her throat.  “I’m sorry. I do not remember.”

“It’s understandable, dear.  If I recall correctly, you were leading a very busy life at the time.  Your father could not stop praising you. You had just starred in that year’s Paris Opera Company’s production of ‘The Nutcracker’ and were a strong contender to star in their upcoming production of ‘Swan Lake’.”

Amélie nodded.  She _had_ been very busy then, and the Christmas party was little more than a hazy blur now.

“So I’ll ask you again, why are you here?  Is there some trouble at home?”

Amélie shook her head.  “Non. There is no trouble at home...because I have no home.” she said. The confession was all it took for the dam to break, and she started to cry.

“What?  Were you thrown out?”

Amélie shook her head again.  “Non. My parents...they...they are dead.”  She was openly sobbing now.

Diane’s hand covered her mouth in shock.  “Oh! Oh my goodness! When? And how?”

“Six months ago.”  She sniffled. “A car accident.”

“I’m so sorry.  Did they not leave you anything?”

“They left me everything.  But, my father’s business partner had been embezzling money away from them.  By the time it was to come to me, there was virtually no money in the account.  The bank seized the house last month. I came here with what little money I have left.  I’ve been staying in a cheap hotel since. I estimate that I have enough to last another month or so.”

“Weren’t you seeing someone?  What was his name? Gerald?”

“Gérard.”

“Yes.  Him. Can’t he help you?”

She shook her head again.  “Non. We broke up last year.”

“Oh...I’m sorry.  May I ask why?”

Amélie was silent for a moment.  “Well...he had proposed, and I had accepted.  But as we began discussing our future, we had a disagreement.”

“About what?”

“Children.  He wanted to start a family right away, but I wanted to focus on my career.  He decided that he did not want to marry someone who wouldn’t give him a child.  I _wanted_ to have a family with him, just not right away.  I wanted to wait until my career had slowed down a bit.”

“What about the ballet company?  Couldn’t anyone there help you?”

Amélie scoffed.  “Of course not. The Paris Opera Company is highly competitive.  The first sign of weakness and everyone will be jockeying to replace you, and you’ll be luck to get stuck in the chorus for the rest of your career.”

“So...do they know where you are?”

“I told the director that I needed to take a sabbatical.  He granted it to me, but told me not to take too much time off, or he wouldn’t be able to promise a position for me when I return.”

Diane pursed her lip in thought.  Mei, meanwhile, produced a tissue seemingly from nowhere and went over to comfort Amélie.  Diane wrote something on her notepad and tore it off.

“Mister Wilhelm!” she called.  A moment later, the large butler from before opened the door and entered and she rose from her chair and walked over to him.

“Yes, Miss Oxton?”

“I need you to do something for me.” she said, handing him the scrap of paper.  They had a hushed conversation for a minute, before the butler gave a nod and left.  Once he’d left, Diane straightened herself up and returned to her seat just as Amélie had reigned in her tears.

“Alright, Amélie, here’s what’s going to happen: first, I’m going to give you the job…”

“Quoi?” Amélie said quietly, staring wide-eyed at Diane.

“ _But_ , I expect you to do your job to the best of your abilities.  I am doing this to help you get back on your feet, and if I feel that you’re not taking this seriously and are taking advantage of this generosity, I fear that I will have to fire you and you will be back out on the streets.  Understand?”

Amélie nodded.  “Oui. I will do my best, madame.”

“Good.  Secondly, while you’re here, we shall keep your true identity a secret if you wish.  Only Mei, my husband, and I will know.”

“I would appreciate that, madame.”

“Very well then.  Finally, when you leave this room, do not let on that you got the job.  I’ve still got a dozen interviews to get through, and I feel it would be a bit rude of me to simply send them home without at least giving them the courtesy of interviewing them.  Mr. Wilhelm will meet you outside. Follow him. He will fill you in from there.”

“I understand, and...thank you.”

Diane bowed her head as a nonverbal ‘You’re welcome’.  With that, Amélie stood and made her way to the door. Just as she reached out for the door handle, Diane spoke again.

“Amélie?”

“Yes?”

Their eyes met.  Diane looked at her sadly.  “Please accept my deepest sympathies for your loss.”

Amélie nodded.  “Thank you.” she said softly.

As she made her way out, she was careful not to make eye contact with the other candidates.  Once outside, she let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.

“Hallo!”

Amélie jumped at the voice, letting out a small yelp as she did.

“Sorry about that, fräulein!  I did not mean to scare you!” the voice laughed.  Amélie turned and saw the butler standing a few feet away.  How had she not noticed him?

“Allow me to introduce myself.  I am Reinhardt Wilhelm!” he said with a bow.

“I am Amélie Lacroix.  Pleased to meet you.”

“Likewise!” he boomed.   _‘Must he always be so loud?’_ Amélie thought.  “If you will follow me, I am to drive you to your hotel where you are to gather your belongings and then, we will return here.”

“I see.  Lead the way, then.”

An hour later, they had arrived back at Oxton Manor, where Reinhardt led her around to the back of the house and up to a bedroom.

“This is to be your room while you are here!  Miss Oxton and Miss Zhou will come see you when they are done with the interviews.  Would you like any refreshments while you wait?”

“Um, a bottle of water would be nice.”

“Right away!”

He disappeared, and was seemingly gone for just a few seconds before he reappeared with two bottles of water.

“A spare!  Just in case!”

Amélie found herself letting out a light laugh.  His enthusiasm was certainly amusing. “Thank you.”

With another bow, he left.  WIth him gone, Amélie took a minute to familiarize herself with her new room.  All in all, it wasn’t too bad. There was a queen sized bed with a large TV mounted on the wall across from it, a generously sized closet and dresser with vanity, and a full en-suite bathroom, all decorated very nicely.  Not overdone, but not barren either.

She sat on the bed and let out a sigh.  She opened one of the water bottles and raised it slightly.   _‘It’s not champagne, but it will have to do.’_ she thought.  “Here’s to new adventures.” she mock-toasted with a mixture of sarcasm and sadness, before taking a drink.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *IMPORTANT* I've bumped the rating up to M because I've decided to try my hand at a sex scene in a later chapter. Also, I've added a new note to the first chapter, so please check that out, (and if you read chapter 1 before this was posted, maybe re-read it as well, because I've made a few edits to that as well).

 

“-that's how I almost died the fifteenth time."

*CLICK*

“Reg has the ball at the top of the key..."

*CLICK*

“-and that's when I tampered with the DNA evidence!”

*knock*knock*knock*

Amélie quickly shut off the TV and hurried over to the door and opened it.

“Hello, Amélie.”  It was Diane, with Mei just behind her.  “How do you like your room?”

“It is quite comfy, thank you.”

“Good, good.” Diane said, pleased.  “Now then, if you’ll follow me, we can get started.”

Amélie was led to a large office/study room with a large desk in it.  Diane sat down at the desk while Mei sat in one of the chairs on the other side of it and motioned for Amélie to sit in the other.

“First we’re just going to go over the details of your employment.  You’ll will be working from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., five days a week. We’ll let you choose which five you want to work and which two you want off.  You’ll be paid on Fridays. Occasionally, you may be required to work on one of the days you usually have off, like, if we host a party, for example.  When that happens, you will be paid overtime.”

They both filled out some paperwork for a while.  Sign here. Initial there. Bank account number there so we can direct-deposit your paycheck.

“Now then, tomorrow, our seamstress, Satya, will stop by and get you measured for your uniform, which will take a few days for her to make, but you’ll get ten whole outfits.”

“Ten?  That seems a bit...much.” Amélie said.

Diane shrugged.  “She doesn't like odd numbers.  Plus, it means that you’ll have spares in case one gets damaged or exceedingly filthy.  Now, over the coming weeks you’ll be following Mei around and she’ll introduce you to all of your duties.”

“It’s not bad.” Mei reassured her.  “You’ll only have to worry about the inside of the house, and the pool out back.  Oh, and you won’t have to worry about the kitchen. The chef, Ana, takes care of that.  She also does the laundry every Sunday, so you won’t have to worry about that either. Also, you’re not expected to keep the whole house clean at all times or anything like that.  If you clean an average of three rooms a day, you’ll have cleaned the whole house in just under two weeks.”

“You following all this?” Diane asked.

“Yes.  I believe so.”

“Wonderful!  Now, how ‘bout a tour?”

Amélie followed them throughout the house.  The main floor had the study/office as well as the library she been in earlier.  There was a lounge for entertainment, with what might just be the largest television Amélie had ever seen.  A billiard room with a bar to rival her own parent’s wine cellar. A small greenhouse. There was even a ballroom for when they had their fancier parties.

“Would it be alright if I practiced my ballet in here on my days off?”

“Of course, Luv.” Diane said.  As the conversation had become less formal, her slightly cockney accent bagan to show through.

Then there was the dining room.  Amélie visibly paled at the sight of all the fine china.

“Don’t worry,” Mei said, placing a hand on Amélie’s shoulder reassuringly, “The china only needs to be cleaned when there’s a nice party coming up.”

Then the kitchen.  Upon entering, Amélie’s nose was immediately assaulted with an array of wonderful food smells.

“This is our chef, Ana Amari.” DIane introduced.  The woman in question, who was hunched over a massive cookbook, looked up at the sound of her name.  “Ana, this is our new maid, Amélie Lacroix.”

“Hello, dear.” the chef said.  She was a woman who appeared to be in her mid-fifties.  She wore a hijab, and her greying hair was braided into a ponytail that hung out of it and over her shoulder.  She wore an eyepatch over her right eye and there was a tattoo under the left. “Welcome to our humble home.” she said pulling Amélie into a bone-crunching hug.  “Now then,” she released the hug, “let me get a good look at you. My goodness, you are so skinny! Don’t they have food over in France? Here…” she walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out an apple and tossed it to Amélie.  “Eat! Now then, breakfast is served at 0700 hours, lunch is at 1300, and dinner is at 1800. Don’t be late. Now, shoo! I've got dinner to prepare.”

Amélie could only nod numbly as she was led out of the kitchen.

“You get used to her.” Mei said.  “She just has a bit of trouble choosing between being overly motherly and being overly military.”

“She was in the military?” Amélie asked, trying to not sound sarcastic.

“Oh yes.” Diane said.  “It’s why she wears an eyepatch; she was injured in a battle.  In fact, she, Reinhardt, and James all met while they were serving.  Several years ago, Ana and Rein were both forced into retirement due to their age.  Unfortunately, because they had spent pretty much their entire adult lives in the military, they didn’t really have anything to fall back on, so James offered them jobs here.”

Amélie was led to the basement, which wasn’t much to look at.  There was the boiler room, the laundry room, a storage room, which appeared various holiday decorations, and a weight room/exercise room.

“We put that in when Reinhardt joined us.  He likes to stay in shape, but we had to get rid of the heaviest weights so he doesn’t throw out his back again.” Amélie fought back a giggle at that.  “And while he is the one who uses it the most, the rest of us try to get down here once in a while as well. I prefer the stationary bike, myself. It lets me read as I work out.”

The upper floor was where all the bedrooms were.  Amélie was shown whose room was where and there was a closet at each end of the house with all the spare bedding and toiletries.  Just as Amélie started to get the feeling that the tour was going to wrap up, Diane approached on of the doors and knocked.

“Lena?”

Nothing.  She knocked again, louder this time.

“Lena?  Come on out.  I'd like you to meet the new maid.”

Still nothing.  Diane sighed and turned to Amélie.  “Well, I’m sure you’ll run into each other sometime soon.”  Her voice became hushed as they made their way down the hall.  “Actually, I have a favor to ask of you. You don’t _have_ to do it, but it would mean a lot to me if you could.”

“What is it?”

Diane seemed to hesitate for a moment, “I would like you to try and befriend Lena, if you could.”

“I...what?”

“I mentioned that she’s been distant lately.  Well...that’s a bit of an understatement. She barely talks to any of us.  When she _does_ , she’s nice and kind, but the conversations last less than a minute.  To put it simply, we miss her. I miss my daughter. I...I don’t want to lose her completely.  Surely you can understand, right?”

Amélie heart went out to her.  She would give anything to see her parents again, even for a minute.  She nodded. “I cannot make any promises, but I will try.”

“Thank you.” she took a breath, “So, any questions about the job?”

Amélie thought for a second.  “No. No questions regarding my job, but…”

“But?” Diane echoed.

“May I ask...what do _you_ do for a living?”

“Oh!  Of course.  I can’t believe it hasn’t come up already.” she laughed.  “I’m an accountant, and James is a lawyer. That’s why he wasn’t present for the interviews, I think I mentioned that, apparently there was a big break in the case he was working on.  Anything else?”

“No.  I don’t think s-”

“I’m home!” came a shout from downstairs.

“Upstairs, James!” Diane called.

A moment later James Oxton was enthusiastically shaking Amélie’s hand.

“James Oxton.  A pleasure to meet you, Amélie.”  He was an almost comically thin man, with short, brown hair in desperate need of a comb.  He wore a blue, pinstripe suit with a brown trenchcoat. His face was quite chiseled and his eyes sparkled with life.

“James, dear, let’s go to the office, and I’ll fill you in on everything.”

“Certainly.  Just let me change out of this, and I’ll meet you there.”

“Alright then.  We’ll see you at dinner, Amélie.  Until then, feel free to relax or explore.  Ta-ra for now.”

“And I’ll see you tomorrow at 9 a.m. sharp, so we can start getting you familiar with your duties.” Mei said.

As they left, Amélie cast a curious glance at the door to Lena’s room.

 

* * *

 

 

It had been a couple of weeks since that first day, and Amélie was starting to settle into her new job.  Mei now felt that she could handle things without her guidance and suggested a divide-and-conquer approach.  Today they were cleaning the main floor. Mei was in the billiard room while Amélie handled the library.

Amélie let out a sigh and surveyed the now clean library.  Everything dusted, wood polished to a reflective shine, windows sprayed with windolene and wiped down, and everything returned to its proper place, and finished with a once-over with the vacuum.  Picking up the vacuum, she turned and left the room and-

“Oof!” ”Ow!”

-she collided with someone.

“Désolé, er, sorry.”

“No, no, it’s my fault.  I wasn’t looking where I was going.” came an unfamiliar voice.

It was then that Amélie really looked at the newcomer.  It was a woman, a a few inches shorter than her, dressed in a tight pair of jeans and a brown leather bomber jacket over a shirt with a logo Amélie didn’t recognize, black fingerless gloves, orange goggles atop her head, and... _were those crocs?!_

“Oh!  You must be the new girl.  Name’s Lena.” she said extending her hand.

As Amélie accepted the handshake, she finally looked at Lena’s face.  She had her mother’s face, but her father’s brown hair, which was gelled up in a spiky windswept style, and her eyes sparkled with life even more than her father’s.  Amélie felt like she could get lost in those eyes.

“So what’s your name?”

It took a second for Amélie to recognize that she’d been asked a question.  “Oh, uh, it’s Amélie.”

Amélie didn’t notice Lena’s smile falter for a second.

“I’m sorry?”

“Amélie.  Am-él-ie Lacroix.” she clarified.

“Oh, okay.”  Amélie now noticed that Lena seemed to be becoming uncomfortable.  “Uh, look, I...I gotta go. I’ll see you ‘round, yeah?”

“Yeah...”

With that, Lena made a hurried exit, practically running out the front door of the house.

_‘Mon dieu...she’s beautiful.’_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah...the meet-cute, I hope I pulled it off moderately well.
> 
> Also, I wonder if anyone will get my references (hint there are 5 total, and 3 refer to the same source material)


	3. Chapter 3

Amélie awoke with a groan.  She had dreamed of  _ her _ again.  It had been a week since she’d met Lena Oxton, and despite only seeing her once, she had dreamed of Lena every night since.  The dreams were never very detailed, just Lena’s face and a warm feeling that made Amélie’s heart beat faster.

Bleary-eyed she reached over to the bedside table and turned off her phone’s alarm.  Sitting on the edge of her bed, Amélie put her face in her hands.  _ ‘Why can’t I stop I thinking about her?’ _ she thought with a sigh.   _ ‘I’ve had crushes before, but never like this.’ _  She glanced at the clock.  No time to ponder it any more, she had to get ready for work.

 

* * *

 

 

Amélie stood outside the door to Lena’s room.  Her last room to clean for the day. Taking a breath to steady her nerves, she knocked.  Nothing. She knocked again. Still nothing. Cautiously, she turned the knob and opened the door.  Nobody. Amélie wasn’t sure if she felt relieved or disappointed.

She glanced around.  Model airplanes and motorcycles were everywhere; the dresser, the bookshelf, the bedside tables, and one perched precariously on top of the TV.  Posters covered nearly every inch of the walls, mostly of rock and punk bands as well as a few FHM pin-ups. The room wasn’t terribly messy. The bed had definitely been slept in, and few items of clothing were strewn about.

“It feels like a teenage boy’s room.” she chuckled to herself.

Shrugging it off, she set about to cleaning, starting with the en-suite.  She went through her mental list. Put away all clutter. Sanitize all commonly touched surfaces.  Use Windolene on all glass and mirrors. Clean the toilet (ew!). Check the grout for mold (double ew!).  Scrub down the shower/bathtub. And finally, scrub the floors.

Once the bathroom was done, Amélie began cleaning the bedroom itself.  Again, she went through her mental checklist. Pick up and put away the clutter.  Throw the discarded clothes in the hamper (and try to not blush upon picking up Lena’s underwear).  Dust all the surfaces, being extra careful around the model planes and motorcycles.

As she dusted one of the motorcycle models on the nightstand, Amélie noticed a framed photo sitting among the models.  Curious, she picked it up to get a better look at it. It was a photo of Lena, presumably from a few years ago. There was a red haired girl in the photo as well.  She and Lena stood in front of a large fighter jet wearing matching bomber jackets and had their arms slung over each other’s shoulders as they smiled broadly.

“What the hell are you doing?!”

Amélie jumped at the outburst and turned to see Lena standing in the doorway, her expression a mix of anger and confusion.

“Cleaning your room.” Amélie answered as calmly as she could, setting the photo back down.

“Get out.”

Amélie looked at her, confused.  “But I have not fin-”

“I SAID GET OUT!!!”

Startled and unsure how to respond, Amélie decided to quickly gather up her cleaning supplies and do as she was told.  The moment she was out in the hallway, the door slammed shut behind her, making her flinch.

 

 

“I just don’t know what I did wrong.” Amélie said, staring down into her cup of tea.

Ana and Mei both ‘hmm’d thoughtfully.

“That’s...very unusual.” Mei said.  “I’ve never known Miss Lena to yell at anyone like that.  Are you sure that you didn’t do anything to upset her?”

Amélie shook her head.  “Not that I can think of.”  She hadn’t told them about the photo, and she wasn’t entirely sure why.

And placed a gentle had on top of Amélie’s.  “Try not to worry about it too much. She might have just had a bad day and really wanted to be alone.”

It was little comfort to Amélie.  Now, she was only left with even more questions about the reclusive girl.

 

* * *

 

 

It was hot out.  Too hot. Far too hot to be wearing all black while outdoors.  Yet here Amélie was, in her nearly all black maid uniform as she use a long net to scoop leaves out of the pool.  Mei was at the other end of the pool area sweeping up the rest of the detritus. With the last of the debris gone, Amélie paused to wipe the sweat from her brow.  It wasn’t even noon yet, and it had to be at least 90°F.

She turned at the sound of someone approaching.  It was Diane, who appeared to be ready for an afternoon lounging in the sun.  She was clad in a black one-piece with a large sun hat, dark glasses, flip-flops, and a bottle of sunscreen in her hand.  Amélie had to admit, for a woman approaching fifty, she kept in decent shape.

“Good morning, girls.  The pool’s looking great.”

“Thank you Mrs. Oxton.”

Diane smiled.  “Tell you what, you girls have been working very hard these past few weeks, why don’t you two take the rest of today off... paid, of course.”

“Oh!  Thank you Mrs. Oxton.” Mei said cheerfully.

“Thank you.” Amélie echoed happily.

Diane waved it off.  “Think nothing of it.” she said taking a seat on one of the deck chairs.

 

 

An afternoon spent lounging in the sun sounded wonderful to Amélie, but she didn’t have a swimsuit.  A quick trip to the shops a few blocks away remedied that. She arrived back at the house just in time for lunch, after which, she changed into her new swimsuit.

She took a moment to study herself in the mirror, and smiled.  Since leaving the ballet, she had filled out just a little bit from the borderline anorexic figure that ballet dancers were all but required to have.  Her new purple and black bikini fit her curves just right, making her feel sexier than she had in years.

Grabbing the book she’d been reading, a pair of sunglasses, and wrapping herself in a towel, she made her way to the pool.  As she approached the large glass doors to the pool and deck area, she noticed that Diane was absent, but her sunblock was still sitting on one of the tables.  Luckily, Mei happened to be walking by, so Amélie asked her.

“Where has Mrs. Oxton gone?”

“Oh, she got a call from Mr. Oxton just before lunch.” Mei clarified.   “She’s been in her office since. Must have been rather important, he never calls from work unless it’s an emergency.”

Amélie shrugged and continued to the pool.  It was still hot, but a light breeze had picked up, making the heat just a tiny bit more bearable.  Laying the towel out on one of the deck chairs, she made herself comfortable. After covering herself in a coat of sunscreen, she grabbed her book and picked up where she left off.  She had managed to finish a single chapter before a voice cut through the peace.

“Uh...hey.”

Amélie looked up from her book.  It was Lena, clad in a towel just like Amélie’s.

“Mind if I join you?”

Amélie studied her for a moment before shrugging.

“It’s your home.” she said, perhaps a little too truculently.

Lena winced.  “Okay, yeah, I guess I kinda deserved that.”

She peeled off her towel and Amélie’s breath hitched.  Lena was clad in a  _ tiny _ yellow bikini that left little to the imagination.  Amélie was grateful for her sunglasses as her eyes raked over Lena’s form.  She was thin, yet fit, with well-defined muscles, a classic sprinter’s body.  Amélie’s mouth suddenly felt very dry. Lena laid her towel on the chair adjacent to Amélie’s and sat down.

“Listen...I...I want to apologize for the other day.”

Amélie raised an eyebrow at her.  “Oh?”

“Yeah, that...that photo...I usually keep it in the drawer.  So when I saw you with it, I assumed you were snooping. It wasn’t ‘til later that I remembered that I had left it  _ on top _ of the desk that morning.  So...sorry.”

Amélie thought for a moment, then gave her a kind smile.  “Everybody makes mistakes, so apology accepted.”

Lena smiled back at her, but only for a moment.

“But I still feel bad.  Let me make it up to you.”

Amélie looked over the top of her sunglasses curiously.  She thought for a moment. Lena seemed friendly, but was her shyness just general anxiety, or…did Lena have a crush on her?  Like how Amélie was crushing on Lena? She decided to test the waters a bit.

“Oh, what did you have in mind, chérie?” she asked with a hint of a purr.

Lena blushed for a moment, then cleared her throat.  “Uh...well, a few friends and I are getting together for drinks and maybe some food later...would you like to join us?”

Amélie thought back to DIane’s request for her to try to befriend Lena.  Amélie certainly wanted to help heal this rift in the Oxton family if she could, but now, she had a slightly more selfish reason for wanting to do so.

“Sounds like it could be fun.  What time would you like to leave?”

“Uh, well, we’re planning on meeting at six, so if you wanna meet me in the front hall about quarter to?”

“Sounds good.  Should I wear anything...special?”

Lena blushed again.  “N-no. Just jeans and a t-shirt’s fine.”

Amélie laid back down.  “It’s a date then. I’m looking forward to it.”

Lena turned her head to try to hide the fact that her blush was intensifying.  She laid down on her chair and began applying some sunblock.

“So... what your story?  What’s a lovely French girl like you doing working as a maid in England?”

Amélie looked at her, confused.  “Your parents haven’t told you?”

“We...don’t really talk much these days.”

“Well, long story short: my parents died in a car accident, and nearly all of our money had been stolen by my father’s business partner.  So I was borderline broke. I came to England to get a fresh start.”

“Oh, geez.  That’s rough.  But...you didn’t have any friends to help you?  ...maybe a boyfriend? ...or girlfriend?” she added with a hint of hope.

Amélie chuckled.  “I don’t really have many friends.  They are more just...coworkers and acquaintances.  Some I simply know better than others. As for significant others, I have never had a girlfriend, but I would not be opposed to it.  As for boyfriends, I have had three. In secondary school, I dated Raoul. We broke up because we were going to different universities and agreed that a long distance relationship would work.  In university, I dated a young man named Stefán. He was a good man, but I broke up with him when I found out he was using me as a...how you say...a beard.”

“He hadn’t come out of the closet yet?” Lena laughed.

“Correct.  Finally, after university, I began dating Gérard.  That one…” she hesitated, “We broke up when we...disagreed over how we felt our future together should pan out.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.  I was both sad and angry when it happened, but now I have come to accept it.”

There was an awkward silence, before Amélie decided to ask something that could prove to be a bit risky.

“May I ask you something?”

“Uh...sure.  I guess.”

“Who is the woman with you in that photo?”

“...I’d rather not talk about that right now.”

Amélie nodded solemnly.  “I understand. We all have subjects that are difficult to talk about.  I’m sorry if I have upset you.”

“No, no, it’s okay.  You meant no harm.”

The sound of the door to the house opening followed by the clinking of ice in a glass caught their attention.  They both turned to see Ana with a tray holding two large drinks on it.

“Hello.  Would you girls like some lemonade?”

The both thanked her and took a drink.

“Aaah...just what I needed.  Thanks, luv.”

“Oh, no trouble at all, dear.  Now you two be careful not to get burnt.  You’re already looking a bit red, Lena.” Ana said heading back inside.

“Uh...thanks.  I won’t stay out for too long.  Promise.” Lena called after her.

Once Ana was back inside, Amélie cleared her throat and extended her glass.

“To new friends.” she toasted.

It took Lena a second, but then she smiled.

“To new friends.” she echoed, clinking her glass against Amélie’s.


	4. Chapter 4

Mei lounged on the fainting couch in her room.  It was her favorite place to read. It was in just the right spot so there was plenty of natural light, and a nice breeze when the window was open.  She had just sat down to continue her book when her phone chimed with a message.

Picking up the phone, she smiled as she saw it was message was from Satya Vaswani.  Satya, in addition to being the Oxton’s personal seamstress, was also one of Mei’s classmates in university.  While Mei studied climatology, Satya was studying architecture. Despite having only a few classes together, they had formed a close friendship, often meeting up on the weekends for tea and study sessions.  And she may or may not have developed a small crush on the quiet Indian woman.

Satya:  
I apologize for taking so long to respond to your message.  I had turned my phone off because I was finishing up a project and did not want to be distracted.  You have been given the afternoon off? That was very nice of Mrs. Oxton.

Mei:  
Yes.  I was just about to catch up on some reading.

Satya:  
Oh.  I hope I am not interrupting.  If so, I apologize.

Mei:  
No.  Not at all.  I always enjoy talking to you.  ^_^

Satya:  
Likewise.  It has been far too long since we have been able to sit down with some tea and have a proper conversation.

Mei felt a warmth on her cheeks at the thought of seeing Satya again.  Okay, maybe it was a bit more than a _small_ crush.

Mei:  
Yes.  Would tomorrow work for you?

Satya:  
I apologize, but I cannot.  Perhaps next Saturday?

Mei:  
Yes!  Next Saturday works for me.

Just as she hit ‘Send’, a frantic knocking at her door startled her.  “Just a minute!” she called.

Mei:  
Sorry.  Someone wants to talk to me.  Be back ASAP. ^_^

Setting down her phone, Mei went over and opened her door to find a slightly panicked Amélie.

“I need your help.  Are you busy?” Amélie asked the moment their eyes met.

Mei blinked for a second.  “Um, not really, I guess.”

“Wonderful!” Amélie said grabbing Mei’s wrist and pulling her down the hall towards her room.

“Amélie?  W-what’s goin on?  Is everything alright?” Mei asked, desperately trying to keep up with the taller woman’s long strides.

Amélie said nothing as they approached her room.  Once inside she finally let go of Mei, closed the door, and made her way over to the bed, where three outfits were laid out.  The first was a lightweight purple button-up top with a black pencil skirt. The second was a black short-sleeved top with a deep v-neck that would undoubtedly show off a fair amount of cleavage and a pair of skinny jeans.  The third was a dark blue sundress that had small black and purple dots all over it.

“Which outfit would look best on me?” Amélie asked, gesturing at the clothing.

Mei blinked in confusion for a moment, but recovered quickly.  “Um…” she studied the outfits for a moment, “It depends on where you’re going and what you’re doing, I suppose.  I would say the sundress would be best because of the heat. The button-up with the skirt would be nice if you’re going somewhere nice.  And the black top with the jeans would be the most functional.”

Amélie frowned down at the clothes.  “I was told ‘nice, but not formal’.”

“Then I say go with the black top and jeans.”

Amélie said nothing for a moment, before letting out a breath.  “Thank you.”

“No problem.  What is this for?”

Amélie hesitated, biting her lower lip.  “Miss Lena has invited me out for dinner and drinks with her friends.”

Mei’s jaw dropped, but then her eyes lit up.  “Oh! This is wonderful!” she said clapping her hands together. “Mrs. Oxton wanted you to get close to Miss Lena, and this is a great opportunity to do so.”

Amélie sighed.  “I know. I’m just worried whether or not her friends will like me.  I want to make a good impression.”

“You’ve been nothing but friendly to everyone here.  I can’t imagine the they wouldn’t like you.”

Amélie’s brow furrowed.  “But what if they’re not like you and Ana and Reinhardt?  They might be completely different, and I’ll be… how you say... like a fish out of water.”

“You need to relax.  When you get there, just try to read the room and adjust to it and the people you interact with.”

“I will try.”

Mei smiled reassuringly.  “You’ll do fine. Let me make you some tea.  It’ll help you relax.”

“I would appreciate that, Mei.  Thank you.”

 

* * *

 

 

Amélie arrived in the manor’s entrance hall to find Lena already waiting for her.  Lena turned at her footsteps and her eyes widened slightly.

“Wow.  You look...really good.”

Amélie had gone with the outfit Mei had recommended, completing the look with a pair of black leather high-heeled boots that reached to the top of her calves, making her legs look even longer and herself taller overall.

“Thank you.  You look good as well.” Amélie said with a smile.

Lena wore a plain blue tee, a pair of yellow and black tights, white sneakers, a pair of white leather gloves, her usual bomber jacket, and the ensemble was completed with a pair of orange aviator goggles, currently resting atop her head.  It was strange, Amélie mused, such a mishmash of an outfit should look terrible, yet, on Lena, it was perfect.

Lena’s face reddened for a moment at the compliment.  She covered it up by ducking her head slightly and clearing her throat.  “So, uh, you ready to go?”

“Oui.”

“Right-o!” she said, her face brightening with a smile.  “Follow me.”

Amélie followed Lena out to the garage, where Lena stopped in front of an object covered by a white tarp.

“Allow me to introduce you to my baby.” she said before whipping off the tarp to reveal a motorcycle.  Amélie didn’t know much about motorcycles, but could tell it was the kind that was commonly referred to as a “crotch rocket”.  However this one had clearly been heavily modified. It had been lengthened to accomodate an added second seat. A small storage container had been added near the back.  And the whole thing had been painted blue with some streaks of yellow and white.

“I call her the Slipstream.  A bit silly, I know, but I like it.”

Amélie smiled at her.  “I confess, don’t know much about motorcycles, but this certainly is impressive.”

“Aw, thanks, luv.” Lena smiled back at her, but then she cleared her throat.  “Listen, before we go…” she hesitated for a second, “my friends don’t know about all this,” she gestured at Oxton manor.  “As far as they know, I’m just Lena Oxton: regular person, who likes planes, bikes, track and field sports, and painting.”

“Painting?”

“My job.  I paint bikes at a shop on the outskirts of town.  Helix Motors. Though, I sometimes help with mechanical stuff, too.  You’ll meet some of my coworkers tonight.”

“Okay.”  Amélie thought for a moment.  “Well, if that’s the case, we should probably come up with a cover story.”

Lena looked like she wanted to smack herself for not thinking of that.  “Yeah. Good idea. Any ideas.”

They both stood there awkwardly for a moment, thinking.  Amélie’s mind started to drift, and found its way back to the image of Lena in her bikini from earlier that day.

“How about...we met a couple weeks ago while shopping for swimsuits?”

“Yeah!  That could work.  How about...we were at ‘D.Mon Designs’.  It’s about a five minute drive North of here.”

“Yes.  Now then, I had just picked one out, and wanted a second opinion, and you just happened to be walking by.”

“Right.  And I thought you looked stunning.  ‘You’re gonna break hearts in that’, I said.”

Amélie laughed.  “And then you asked if I wouldn’t mind helping you pick one out.”

“And we decided on the one I was wearing earlier.”

“Which you looked amazing in.”

Lena blushed slightly at the compliment.

“And as we were leaving the shop, you asked for my number, which I gave you.”  Amélie said.

“Wait,” Lena paused for a second. “...would that mean we’re dating?”

“It depends, would you like that?”

Lena stammered, “Uh, w-well, I mean, i-if it was okay with you.”

Amélie smiled, “I think I would like that, yes.”

Lena took a breath and nodded.  “Okay then, so, we’re dating. But nothing too serious.  Still just getting to know each other, y’know?”

Amélie nodded.  “Agreed. Now, what about my job?”

Lena blinked for a second.  “Uh, I mean, if you wanna tell them you’re a maid, that’s on you.  Just don’t mention what family you work for, yeah?”

“Fair enough.  Though, I suppose I could just say that I am still a ballerina.” Amélie said with a shrug.

“Right then,” Lena turned and grabbed a helmet that was sitting on a nearby table and handed to Amélie. “Shall we?”

As Amélie put the helmet on, after adjusting her ponytail from its usual placement to a lower one so it would fit, Lena mounted the bike.  Once the helmet was on, Amélie straddled the seat behind Lena. Lena took a moment to show her the foot pegs where she should place her feet while they rode.  What surprised Amélie was when Lena reached back and grabbed her hands and guided them around her waist.

“Now, hold on tight to me, luv, ‘cause this baby goes pretty fast.” she said before starting the engine.

She wasn’t kidding.  Amélie held on for dear life as Lena sped down the streets, quickly making her way out of the city and onto more open rural roads.  After several minutes of trying not to freak out at the ludicrous speed, Amélie decided that simply shutting her eyes would hopefully block out the scenery that was little more than a blur.

When Lena finally brought the bike to a stop, Amélie shakily dismounted.  As Lena turned off the engine, Amélie sneaked a peek at her phone. Just over fifteen minutes.  Slipping her phone back in her pocket, she turned to look at their destination: a moderately sized pub with a simple, hand-lettered sign above the door, reading “The Overwatch Pub & Grill”.

“‘The Overwatch’?  That’s an odd name.” Amélie said as she re-adjusted her ponytail back into its usual position.

Lena laughed.  “It’s actually the second Overwatch Pub.  The first was situated on a cliff overlooking a small town on the west coast.  Sadly, it got shut down due to safety concerns, so the owner relocated here.”

They made their way inside, and the first thing Amélie noticed was how bright it was.  She had been in a few pubs before, and they all had been rather dimly lit, but this, this was about as bright as you’d keep your living room.

“Hi, Jack!” Lena called.  The man behind the bar looked up from what he was doing and smiled at her.  He appeared to be about fifty or so. His hair was mostly grey, but still had a few flecks of blond.  His square-jawed face had several large menacing scars, which were counteracted by the kindness in his eyes and smile.

“Hello Lena.” he said cheerfully.

“How are ya?  It’s been ages since we caught up.”

He emitted a noise somewhere between a scoff and a laugh.  “You were here just last week.” he deadpanned.

“Exactly!”

Jack simply shook his head with a chuckle, before noticing that Lena was not alone.  “Lena, you didn’t mention you were bringing a friend.” He admonished her before addressing Amélie.  “Hello there. Name’s Jack Morrison, proprietor of The Overwatch.” he said extending a hand.

“Amélie Lacroix.” she said, accepting the handshake.  “Forgive me if this is rude, but your establishment seems rather bright for a pub.”

Jack chuckled.  “Ah, that’s just a little something I picked up from a bar in New York.  The owner, Mike Callahan, was a firm believer that people who liked to drink in caves are unstable, and that a bar should be merry, so long as no bones are broken without permission.”

Amélie found herself smiling at that.  “I see.”

“Now then, what can I get you?”

“What is your wine selection like?”

Jack produced a small menu with a list of about twenty wines.  Amélie took a moment to study it, before deciding on a merlot.

“And you, Lena?  You’re usual pint of Guinness?”

“You know me so well, luv.”  He was already handing her drink to her by the time she’d finished speaking.  “Are any of the others here?”

“Not yet, you’re the first to arrive tonight.”

“Right then.  We’ll go grab our usual spot.  Come on, Amé.”

Amélie blushed slightly at the nickname, but followed Lena to a booth in the corner.  As they walked, she took a look around. There were only about a couple dozen other people there at the moment.  Some were chatting to each other over food and/or drink. Some were watching their choice of the sports on the handful of TVs scattered around the pub.  And some were simply drinking or eating by themselves. But everyone looked like they were enjoying themselves. There was not a sad or surly face in the whole room.

Just as she and Lena sat down, the door opened and two women walked in.  Lena looked over and immediately brightened (if that was even possible).

“‘Reeha!  Angie!” she half-shouted with a wave.

The taller woman had caramel colored skin and black, shoulder-length hair with a few gold beads in it that rested at her jawline.  Her aviator sunglasses, black leather jacket and gloves implied that she had arrived by motorcycle like Lena and Amélie had. Her companion was slightly shorter and had radiant blonde hair that was tied up into a loose ponytail.  Her long, white leather coat made her look like a doctor. She reminded Amélie of the many portraits of angels she had seen throughout the years.

Upon hearing Lena’s shout, the two women looked over, smiled, and gave a polite wave in return.  The taller woman removed her aviators, revealing a tattoo under her eye, and they made their was over to the bar.  After collecting their drinks of choice from Jack, they made their way over to the table where Lena and Amélie sat.

“Ladies, allow me to introduce my new friend, Amélie Lacroix.”

“Bonjour.” Amélie greeted with a friendly smile.

“Amélie, this is Fareeha, my boss at Helix Motors.” Lena said, gesturing to the taller woman.

“Hello.” Fareeha said with a nod, sliding into the booth.

“And this,” Lena gestured to the blonde, “is her fiance, Angela.  She’s the best surgeon in the city.”

“Lena, you flatter me.  Hello, Amélie. It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s not flattery, it’s true!  You’ve performed more successful surgeries than any doctor in a hundred miles.”

“Oh, stop.” Angela laughed as she slipped into the booth next to Fareeha, who immediately wrapped an arm around her lovingly.  “Besides, I spend most of my time on research, now. I only perform surgeries in extreme cases.”

“Lena, are you being thirsty again?” came a new voice.

They all turned to see the newcomer.  Her skin was a bit darker than Fareeha’s, and her eyes twinkled mischievously.  Her long hair had been dipped in purple dye, and one side of her head had been shaved, revealing and intricate tattoo resembling circuitry.

“Thirsty?  Yes, but not in the way you’re implying, Liv.” Lena laughed, raising her glass and taking a large sip, making everyone laugh.

As the new girl laughed and slid into the booth.  “Liv, this is Amélie. Amé, this is Olivia, and the girl talking to Jack is her girlfriend, Hana, our main mechanic at Helix.”  Amélie looked over to see Jack talking to a young Asian girl. “Hana is Jack’s adopted daughter.” Lena whispered. “And…” she looked around for a second, “Hey, Liv, where’s your better third?”

“He'll be here later.  Right now he's filing a police report.  Some pendejo ran off with the most expensive guitar in the shop.  He won’t get far though. Every instrument in that shop has a tracking device, courtesy of yours truly.”

Lena, sensing Amélie’s confusion, clarified, “Hana and Olivia are in a three-way relationship with a guy named Lúcio.  Lú is just about the chillest guy you'll ever meet. Nothing seems to phase him. He owns a music shop and DJs on the weekends.  Olivia here works in cyber security, and Hana,” she said as the girl in question arrived with drinks for Olivia and herself, “is a professional gamer in her spare time.”

“I’m not a pro yet, Lena.” Hana said sliding in next to her girlfriend.  “Being a pro would mean being on a team, being sponsored, and going to competitions.  I just livestream, and I get a lot of donations when I do.”

“Well, of course, conejita.  Who wouldn’t pay to see your cute face.” Olivia said, making the younger girl blush, and eliciting another round of laughter from the table.

“So that just leaves Brigitte, then.” Lena said.

“Yeah, she probably won't be able to make it.” Fareeha said.  “Her dad called, saying that he needed help at his shop.”

“Aw, okay.” Lena said sadly.  “Brigitte is our fabricator.” she explained for Amélie.  “If we need something metal made or fixed, she's the best girl for the job.  And she's always got the _cutest_ pics of her cats.”

As the evening progressed, Amélie found herself in conversation with Fareeha and Angela.

“So, how did you two meet?”

“We met in the military, about four years ago.” Fareeha said.  “I had just been promoted to captain, and Angeal was a medic assigned to my company.”

“We worked together for just over seven months.” Angela said. “Normally, I try to remain a bit detached.  Helps me stay professional. But somehow, Fareeha managed to worm her way past that, and we grew really close.”

“Then, one day, we got into a standoff with a group of terrorists that had kidnapped a bunch of local girls.  We succeeded in rescuing the girls, but before we could do that, they opened fire, and during the battle, a bullet went through my knee.  It did some pretty serious damage, and I wound up needing a full knee replacement. On top of that, when I went down, I couldn’t get to cover, and got shot two more times, once in the stomach and another in the chest.  Thankfully, those two shots missed anything vital. After I had recovered, they deemed me unfit to serve, and gave me an honorable discharge.”

“It was strange,” Angela said solemnly, “I’ve seen hundreds, if not thousands of people with various injuries and in various states of extreme pain, but seeing Fareeha go down, and hearing her scream...I felt like my heart ripped in two.  When I found out Fareeha was being discharged, I requested my own release.”

“When she told me, can you believe I actually got upset?  I mean, the military was my life. It was all I ever wanted to do.  To help people, dispense justice, and protect the innocent. To see someone else just give all that up...I just couldn’t understand why she would do that.”

“That is, until I silenced her with a kiss.” Angela said, snuggling a bit closer to Fareeha.

“Yeah.   _Then_ I started to understand.” Fareeha said sheepishly.  “After we both were let go from the military, we settled here and I opened Helix Motors about a year later.”

“That’s very sweet.” Amélie almost cooed.

“So what about you?  What brought you here?”

“Well, I am a ballerina.  Unfortunately, dancing does not pay as well as you might think, and after a bit of financial trouble, I was forced to find a new job, and I now work as a housemaid.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”

Amélie shrugged.  “It is not bad. The family I work for is very nice, and they pay quite well.”

“And how did you meet our Lena.”

Amélie stuck to the story that she and Lena had come up with earlier, and thankfully, they seemed to buy it.

The rest of the evening, Amélie found herself laughing more than she had in years.  The conversations, the stories, the jokes. She really felt like they were her friends.  She felt at home.

It was nearly midnight when Lena and Amélie arrived back at Oxton Manor.  As they arrived at Amélie’s room, an awkward silence fell over them.

“So...thank you for inviting me out with you and your friends.  I have a really good time.”

“Me too.  I’m glad you came.”

The awkward silence returned.

“Well then...good night?” Amélie said cautiously.

Lena simply stared at her, as though there was some great battle raging in her head.

“Are you alri-?” Amélie started to ask, but was cut off by Lena grabbing her face and pulling her into a kiss.  Before Amélie could even react, Lena pulled back, her eyes wide with fear.

“I...I shouldn’t have done that.  I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.  I...I gotta go.” And with that Lena ran off towards her own room.

“Wait.” Amélie tried to call after her, but her voice was weak, and Lena was already out of sight.  She slumped against her door.

“Merde.”

 


	5. Chapter 5

“Alright, child...” Ana said, “You’ve stalled long enough.  Now, tell us exactly what happened.”

Amélie froze for half a second, the last piece of her breakfast fruit bowl still on its way to her mouth.  While she hadn’t _expected_ Mei to tell the rest of the staff about Amélie’s totally-not-a-date with Lena, she hadn’t exactly been surprised by it either.  When she had entered the dining room for breakfast that morning, she was immediately accosted by Ana, Reinhardt, Mei, and even Diane, excitedly asking more questions than she could process.

Thankfully, James Oxton kept a calm head on his shoulders.

“Alright, everyone.  At least let the poor girl have some coffee and food before you interrogate her.” he said, instantly earning Amélie’s gratitude.

Finishing her last bite, she glanced around at the others.  They all stared back at her expectantly.

“Well, where should I start?”

“The beginning is usually a good place.” James said, earning a round of eye rolls and light chuckles.

“Well, before we left, she told me that she works at a motorcycle shop as a painter and mechanic.”

“A motorcycle shop?” Diane let out a relieved sigh and turned to her husband. “Well, at least now we know what she’s been doing all day.”

James nodded and placed his hand atop hers.  “Yes. Goodness knows that it could’ve been much worse.  She could be out doing drugs or...or whoring herself.” he said with a slight shudder.

“So, where did she take you?” Mei asked.

“Well,” Amélie started, “she took me to a pub out of town.  I’m not exactly sure _where_ , because we took Lena’s motorcycle, and it was way too fast for comfort, so I wasn’t exactly paying attention.  Anyways, the pub was called ‘The Overwatch’. Lena introduced me to the owner, Jack Morrison-”

“Jack Morrison!?” Amélie jumped at the sudden simultaneous shouts from James, Ana, and Reinhardt.

“You know him?” she asked cautiously.

The three exchanged glances for a moment before Ana spoke.  “During the war, the U.N. organized a multinational squad of elite soldiers for a joint operation.  For security reasons, we cannot tell you the details of the mission, but a _can_ tell you that Jack Morrison was a part of that squad along with James, Reinhardt, and myself.  We lost touch with many of them after the war.”

“We should go see him.” Reinhardt said enthusiastically.

“Perhaps we may, someday.”

“How is he doing?”

“He seemed to be in good spirits.” Amélie said.  “He seemed to genuinely enjoy interacting with others. And, apparently, he has adopted a daughter.”

“A daughter!?”

“Um, yes.  A young woman named Hana.  She is a mechanic at the same shop that Lena works at.  But I am getting ahead of myself. After meeting Monsieur Morrison, Lena’s friends and coworkers began to arrive.  First was the owner of the motorcycle shop, Fareeha, and her f-”

“Fareeha?  Fareeha _Amari_?”  Ana’s hands slammed onto the table and she was suddenly standing and leaning forward, almost looming over Amélie.

Amélie blinked up at her.  “Uh, I never got a last name.”

“Did she have a tattoo under her eye, like mine?” Ana asked, pointing to the Wadjet tattoo under her good eye, her voice becoming both demanding and desperate.

“Uh, yes, but it was a bit different.”

Ana practically ran to the kitchen returning moments later with a piece of paper and a pen.  She drew an Eye of Horus on the paper and shoved it into Amélie’s face.

“Is this it?”

“Yes, that is it.”

“Oh!  It’s her!” Ana exclaimed with a sob, collapsing into Reinhardt.  “She’s alive, Reinhardt. Fareeha’s alive!”

Reinhardt gently patted her on the back.  After a moment, he looked up at the others, who were watching silently, confusion clear on their faces.

“Fareeha is Ana’s daughter.  Not long before Ana and I came to work for the Oxtons, she and Fareeha got into an argument when Fareeha wanted to join the army.  Fareeha stormed out and they haven’t spoken or even seen each other since.”

“It’s been seven years now.” Ana said, sitting back up with a sniffle.  “I had begun to fear the worst. Thank you for telling me this.”

“De rein.” Amélie said with a nod.

“Tell me, was she healthy?  Was she happy?”

Amélie hesitated.  “I...am not sure how much I should say.  I do not want to disrespect her privacy.”

“Please!” Ana pleaded, surprisingly quietly.

“...Okay.  Well, she is no longer in the army.  She suffered a knee injury while rescuing a bunch of girls who had been kidnapped by terrorists.”  Ana gasped at that. “The injury does not hinder her much, but it was enough for her to be deemed unfit for service and honorably discharged.”

“Oh...well, at least she’s safe now.”

“Also...I’m not sure I should say this, but…”

“But what?”

“She brought her fiancé with her.”

“Fiancé!?” Ana sputtered.  After staring in stunned amazement for a moment, she collected herself, clearing her throat.  “Does he treat her well? Does he make her happy?’

“ _She_ certainly seems to.”

“She!?”

“Yes.  Her name is Angela and she is a surgeon.”

Ana stared at her, slack-jawed.  After a moment, she cleared her throat.  “Well...good. Good for her, as long as they’re happy together.”

Everyone gave Ana a sympathetic look.  They could only imagine what was going through her mind at that moment.  To lose one’s child would be horrible enough, but to think your child might be dead, only to find that they’re alive and living happily must be causing quite the conflict inside her.

It was Mei who finally broke the silence.  “So, was there anyone else who joined you?”

“Yes, the only other person who showed up was Olivia, who works in cyber security.  However, there were a couple of people who weren’t able to make it. There was Lúcio, who owns a music shop, and Brigette who-”

“Brigette!?” Reinhardt boomed.  He looked to Ana and James. “You don’t think…?”

“Well, how many other Brigettes do we know?”

Amélie was confused.  “You know her?”

It was the first time she had seen Reinhardt look embarrassed.  “I am actually her godfather. Her father, Torbjörn, was another member of the joint task force.”

“How many of you were there?” Mei asked.

“There were thirteen of us in all.” Ana said.

“Oh, okay.”  Mei blinked, processing everything she had just learned.  She turned to Amélie, “Please continue.”

“Well, overall, I would say that the rest of the evening went well.  Everyone was friendly. The food and drinks were good. Everyone seemed to have a good time.”  She paused, staring down into her empty tea cup.

“But…?” Diane prodded.

“Well...when we arrived back here, Lena walked me to my room.  We said our goodnights...and…” Amélie paused unsure if she should tell them about the kiss, “She went to her room, but she seemed...upset about something.”

“Maybe she wanted a goodnight kiss?” Mei suggested.

“Y-You think so?”

“It wouldn’t surprise me.” Diane said, finishing her tea.

“What do you mean?” Amélie asked.

“Well, Lena has never officially come out to us, but we’ve been pretty certain that she’s gay since she was about thirteen or so.”

“She is?” Mei asked.  “I mean, I had my suspicions, but I didn’t want to assume.”

“Well, like I said, she’s never officially come out to us.”

“But if she is, I think you would be good for her.” James said, inclining his head towards Amélie.

“Oh, uh, thank you.”

He nodded again with a chuckle.  He finished off his coffee with one last swallow and checked his watch.  “Oh! I need to get to the office. Mr. Wilhelm?”

“Of course, Mr. Oxton.  I’ll get the car ready." Reinhardt said.  James gave Diane a quick kiss goodbye before following Reinhardt out.

“Well,” Diane addressed Amélie once they’d gone, “I must say, I agree with James.  I certainly wouldn’t object to you dating my daughter. That is...if you wanted to.” she teased.

“ _I_ think you two would make a cute couple.” Ana said as she began gathering the dishes.

Amélie’s face flushed slightly, but she suppressed it quickly.  “I...I do not think I would mind... _if_ she were interested.” she said quietly as Diane and Ana shared a knowing look.

 

* * *

 

 

Meanwhile…

“Guh, I’m such a bloody idiot!” Lena grumbled to herself.  "Why did I have to kiss her? I mean, sure she’s stunningly gorgeous, and she said she wouldn't mind dating a girl, but that doesn't mean she's interested in _me_.  She probably thinks I'm a right creeper now.  Why do I have to be so awkward? And WHO TIGHTENED THIS BLOODY NUT, DWAYNE ‘THE ROCK’ JOHNSON?!”

“Everything alright in there, Lena?” Fareeha asked from her office.

“Yeah, sorry luv, just dealing with a stubborn turbocharger air intake cover.” Lena apologized.  With another hefty pull of the socket wrench, the nut finally loosened. Lena gave a mock triumphant laugh as she removed the cover.  Her jubilation, however, turned to horror upon seeing inside. “Oh, ew! Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew, ew, ew!”

“Lena, what the hell are you yelling about now?”

“I, uh, I think I figured out why this guys engine kept cuttin’ out.”

“What is it?” Fareeha asked as she appeared in the doorway.

“Take a look.”

Fareeha crouched down next to the bike.  “Well...that’s new.” Fareeha had seen a fair number of things get clogged in a turbocharger air intake, usually just dust or vegetation, but a _squirrel_ was a new one.  “And _definitely_ worth an ‘ew’.”

“Right?”

“Well...clean it.”

“What!?  No! No way I’m touchin’ that!”

Fareeha rolled her eyes.  “Fine. Be right back.” She disappeared into her office and returned a moment later wearing surgical gloves, carrying a small cardboard box in one hand, and sanitizing spray in the other.

Lena raised an eyebrow.  “Why do you have surgical gloves?”

“Angie insisted.  ‘Health and safety’ and all that.”  Handing the sanitizer to Lena, she carefully picked the mangled squirrel corpse out of the bike and placed it into the box, causing the Brit to grimace in disgust.  “I’m going to bury this poor guy in the field out back. You clean up what’s left.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously.” Fareeha said as she left.

“Can I at least have some gloves?” Lena asked, but it was too late.  Fareeha was already out the door. Lena let out a groan and her shoulders slumped.  Reluctantly, she cleaned up the remaining bits of squirrel.

Setting aside the sanitizer and the rag she had used, she went to the bathroom and frantically washed her hands with lava soap until she was satisfied that she would no longer contract rabies or some other unknown ailment from the squirrel.  After drying her hands, she returned to the bike. Just as she passed through the doorway to her workspace, a voice called out next to her.

“That looked like fun.”

Lena nearly jumped out of her skin.  She turned to see Olivia leaning against the wall next to the door, clad in her usual purple coat and tights.

“Bloody hell, ‘Liv.  Nearly scared the piss outta me, ya did.”

Olivia chuckled.  “Sorry about that. Speedy.” she said, clearly not sorry at all.

“Why are you here even?  You know Hana’s off on Saturdays.” Lena asked.  Hana always took weekends off, spending all day Saturday (if she could be bothered to crawl out of bed before the crack of noon) live-streaming into the early hours of Sunday morning.  On average, she could haul in between six and eight hundred pounds a weekend.

“Yeah, I know.  I’m joining her for some Mario Kart later, but right now, I wanna talk to _you_.”

Lena’s brow furrowed.  “Okay Why?”

“It’s about you little friend from last night, Amélie.”

Lena’s eyes narrowed and she folded her arms.  “What about her?”

“You tell me.  I can’t seem to find any record of an Amélie Lacroix.”

“Seriously?  You tried digging up dirt on her?”

“Hey, I just want to make sure you’re being safe, amiga.  I don’t want you to end up dating some kind of serial killer.”  Olivia was uncharacteristically serious. “Real talk, if you wound up getting killed and there was something I could have done to warn you, I’d feel like shit.  You’re one of my best friends, and I’d hate to lose you. We all would.”

Lena softened.  “...Thanks ‘Liv.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Olivia said with a dismissive wave.  “Just don’t tell anyone I got soft on you.”

“Your secret’s safe with me.” Lena said with a mock salute, causing Olivia to laugh again.

“But seriously, I couldn’t find anything on an Amélie Lacroix.  However, I did find this.”

She pulled out her phone, unlocked it and handed it to Lena.  Lena looked at the screen and saw a news article. It had clearly gone through a translator, but she was able to figure out the gist of it;

 

_TRAGEDY STRIKES FRENCH NOBILITY  
“This last Sunday, Edgar (55) and Jeanne (54) Guillard sadly lost their lives when their vehicle ran off the Route de la Bérarde as they were returning to their home in Annecy from a week in Marseille.  While not much is known at this time, but authorities do not believe there was foul play, and the medical examiner has ruled out alcohol as a contributing factor. Edgar and Jeanne are survived by their only daughter, Amélie (28), who is a rising ballet star in the Paris Opera Company.  Amélie Guillard could not be reached for comment.” _

 

Included in the article was a photo of the Guillard family, which included a woman who looked exactly like the Amélie she knew.

Lena frowned.  “Okay, so _if_ this is the same Amélie...maybe she just changed her name to avoid drawing attention to herself.  She _is_ nobility after all, and probably has to deal with paparazzi pretty frequently.”

“Maybe...” Olivia said, “or _maybe_ she might have something to do with it and is moving on to her next victim, trying to get some of your family’s money.”  Olivia was the only one of Lena’s friends who knew her true identity, and had agreed to keep Lena’s secret in exchange for some new and very expensive computer parts, as well as funding a few of her date nights with Hana and Lúcio.

“You watch too many crime shows.” Lena deadpanned.

“No such thing.  But you gotta admit, it’s just a bit suspicious.”

Lena thought for a moment before letting out a sigh.  “So, whaddya think I should do?”

“That’s up to you chica.  You could warn your parents.  You could confront her yourself, which could cause her to freak out and try to kill you.  Or you could just wait and see what happens.” Olivia took her phone from Lena and glanced at the clock on the screen.  “Well, I gotta go. Good luck with that.”

She looked at Lena who was staring at the floor, lost in thought.  She placed her hand on Lena’s shoulder. “Seriously, I hope I’m wrong and everything turns out okay.”

Lena offered a weak smile.  “Thanks.”

Olivia returned the smile in an attempt to reassure her friend, before turning and exiting, leaving Lena alone with her new worries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter's a bit later than usual. I've been dealing with some stuff IRL that meant I couldn't write as often as I'd like.
> 
> Also, credit for the names of Amélie's parents goes to Sitriga and their story "Terpsichore".
> 
> Also, get ready, next chapter, we learn about Emily.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off; a warning: This chapter touches on some heavy subjects such as homophobia, domestic abuse, and death. (They are discussed, but not depicted.) Reader discretion is advised.
> 
> Secondly; We've all been pronouncing "Amélie" as being very similar to "Emily", right? Well, I was watching the show "Secrets of the Zoo" recently, and there was a woman named Amélie on the show, but everyone pronounced her name as "Om-el-ee" (Like "Om nom nom"). So, have we all been pronouncing Amélie incorrectly?? Or is the way they were pronouncing it on the show an anomaly? Can anyone shed some light on this?

 

Lena lay on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.  It had been several days since the kiss. Lena had mulled over her conversation with Olivia constantly since then.  Her anxieties were starting to get to her. Was Amélie who she said she was? Had she been involved with her own parents' deaths?  Was she a killer, like Olivia feared?  Was Lena’s family in danger?

Lena shook her head.  Maybe it was all just a coincidence, or a misunderstanding, or just Olivia being paranoid like usual.  Should she confront Amélie, or bring it up to her parents?  She sat up, growling in frustration, hating herself for her own indecisiveness.  She glanced over and caught a look at herself in the mirror above her bureau. To say she was ‘disheveled' would be a kindness. She looked exhausted, her eyes were half-lidded and slightly bloodshot, and her hair was no longer its usual spikey, windswept look, but rather, it lay flat and practically matted against her head.

Pinching her eyes shut and running her hands through her hair, she let out another sigh.  She stared at the floor for a long moment before, with clenched fists, she made her decision.

 

* * *

 

Amélie exited her bathroom with a billowing cloud of steam in her wake.  The sudden loss of heat made her shiver slightly through the thick white bathrobe she wore.  Reaching up to rub the towel wrapped around her hair in order to hasten its drying, she moved towards her dresser to get her nightgown.  As she did, she glanced at the window, where the last vestiges of daylight shone through the blinds.

Just as she started to remove the bathrobe, she was startled by a knock at her door.  Readjusting the robe, she headed over to the door and opened it. On the other side, was Lena (who had cleaned up a bit).  Her expression was difficult to read, but if Amélie had to guess, she would say it was a mix between angry and nervous.

“Can we talk?” Lena asked.

With an inclination of her head, Amélie opened the door further and stood aside to let her in, closing the door behind her.  Once she was inside, Lena just stood there awkwardly. Sensing her unease, Amélie sat at the foot of the bed and motioned for Lena to join her.

But Lena didn’t move.

“Look, I...I’m not really sure how to say this…” Lena said hesitantly.

Amélie said nothing, simply giving Lena time to collect her thoughts, but at the same time, her own thoughts began to race.  Was this about the kiss? Did she not really feel that way? Or was it something else? Did Lena’s friends not like her?

“Who are you?”

Amélie blinked, “Pardon?”

Lena seemed to deflate slightly.  “Look, Olivia, who you met the other night, can be a bit paranoid at times.  She tried looking you up and couldn’t find anything. All she could find was an article about an ‘Amélie Guillard’ who looks exactly like you.  An’ now she’s worried that you might be a serial killer, and I just...I dunno, I guess I had to see for myself. So, I guess...who are you really, and why are you really here?”  She seemed to force out in a single breath.

Amélie blinked in bewilderment.  “You...you mean your parents did not tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

Amélie opened her mouth to answer, but stopped when a thought struck her.  “I tell you what, I will explain everything, but you must do something for me.”

Lena’s brow furrowed in suspicion.  “What’s that, then?”

Amélie leveled her eyes at her.  “I want you to tell me about the redhead in the photograph.”

Lena froze.  Amélie could see the shock and fear in her eyes, and instantly regretted her demand.  Lena clenched her fists and her face hardened. Just as Amélie opened her mouth to apologize, Lena cut her off.

“Fine.  But you’re goin’ first.”

Amélie gave a small nod.  “Very well.”

She proceeded to explain everything.  The break-up with Gérard. Her parent’s deaths.  The theft of her family’s fortune. How she, feeling like she had little alternative, fled France for England.  How she began using Gérard’s name ‘Lacroix’ in the admittedly silly hope of preventing anyone from figuring out her identity.  How Lena’s mother had recognized her almost instantly and had given her the maid job essentially out of pity.

“I have no intention of hurting anyone, let alone _killing_ anyone.  I just wanted to make a fresh start.  I am sorry for making you worry.” she finished sadly.

“S’alright.” Lena said, sitting next to her.  “Sorry if I misjudged you.”

Amélie shook her head.  “It is fine. If I were in your position, I might be suspicious as well.”  She gave Lena a half-smile. “But you could have just asked your parents.”

“...Yeah.  You’re probably right.” Lena admitted sheepishly.

They sat in silence for a moment, unsure of how to proceed.

Lena cleared her throat.  “So...I guess it’s my turn.”

Amélie gave her a sympathetic look.  “It is clear that she is a difficult subject for you.  I will not force you.”

Lena looked at the floor for a long moment.

“No.  No, this...I think this is something I need to...I need to tell someone.”

Amélie stayed silent, giving Lena all the time she needed.  Lena closed her eyes and took a few quiet, deep breaths. After a moment, she opened her eyes, staring straight ahead.

“Her name was Emily.” she said solemnly.

The use of the term ‘was’ did not escape Amélie, but more importantly, “Emily?  Is that why…?”

“Yeah.  When I heard your name, it kinda freaked me out.  It...It’s also why I freaked out at you when I found you lookin’ at that photo.  I usually keep it in the drawer, but I forgot that I had left it out, an’ I thought you were snoopin’.  Sorry.”

Amélie shook her head.  “It is understandable I suppose.”

“We met in year six.  Her family had moved here from Sheffield.  We became fast friends. Practically inseparable we were.”  A faint smile appeared on her face. “I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was crushing hard on her.”

“When did you realize?”

“Shortly before I turned fourteen.”

“Did you tell her?”

Lena let out a soft chuckle.  “Actually, she confessed first.  It was amazing.  We were so happy."  Her smile fell.  "But...it was hard keeping it from everyone.”

“What do you mean?”

Lena gave a strange look.  “It’s kind of a bad thing for someone like me to be gay.  There was this kid at school, Jeremy, when we were thirteen, he came out to his parents.  He disappeared a few days later. Rumor was that he’d been sent to one of those ‘pray away the gay’ camps.”

“That’s...awful.”

“Yeah!  But it’s a sad fact.  For people of our...station in life.”

Amélie was confused.  “I do not understand.”

“You know... rich people.  Posh families an’ the like.  For them, being gay it the worst thing ever because it means you’re not gonna,” her voice became sarcastic, “‘ _continue the bloodline_ ’ an’ all that shite.”

“And you were afraid that something similar would happen to you?”

“Yeah.  Even if my folks were okay with me being gay, the other families wouldn’t be.  We’d become pariahs. Outcasts.”

Another awkward silence passed.  Lena took another breath.

“Anyway, one of the things me an’ Emily bonded over was our love of planes and flying.  The day after we graduated, we signed up for the Royal Air Force.” The smile returned. “We were the best.  Top of our class at everything. It was the best time of my life. But then...” the smile fell again. “...we were called into our C.O.’s office.  They had developed a new prototype fighter jet, and they’d chosen us to pilot it for its first test run. I could hardly believe it. But...that’s when things...when everything went wrong.”

She was silent for a long moment.  “...What happened?” Amélie prodded cautiously.

“Me ego happened.  The C.O. said that Emily would be the pilot, and that I would be co-pilot.”

“What is the difference?”

“Technically, nothing.  It’s just a title. The pilot is usually just more experienced.  Except, from what we were told, this new jet was a bit different.  The pilot would be the one actually flying the plane, while the co-pilot would basically monitor the auxiliary systems...and take over if the pilot was unable to continue.

“I let my ego get the better of me.  I began arguing with the C.O. that I should be pilot.”  Tears began to form in her eyes. “I didn’t even matter, as C.O. said that his decision was final.  I still remember the hurt in Emily’s eyes. That look...still haunts me. She yelled at me, crying, asking if I even cared about how she felt, if I even cared about her at all.  She stormed off before I could apologize. I didn’t get a chance to talk to her before we had to get ready for the test.

“Then...during the test, just barely after take-off...something went wrong.  Out of nowhere, red lights and alarms were going off and we started falling. We couldn’t figure out what was wrong.  We tried to regain control, but nothing worked. We fell from twenty thousand feet, and crashed. I got a concussion, whiplash, broke my leg, a couple fingers, and cracked my sternum and a bunch of my ribs.  Was laid up in hospital for a few weeks. Emily...”

Lena paused, tears were falling now.  “Emily didn’t make it. She...She died.  She died thinking that I didn’t care about her, that I didn’t respect her, that I...that I didn’t love her.  She died hating me.”

She put her face in her hands and sobbed.  Amélie did the only thing she could think of, she pulled her into a hug, letting Lena cry into her shoulder.  She gently rubbed Lena’s back as years of guilt, regret, and grief spilled out. It took several minutes before the tears began to subside.

Eventually, she pulled away.  “S-sorry.”

“It is alright.  May I ask a question?”

“...Okay.”

“Do you believe she loved you?”

“...Huh?”

“Do you believe that Emily really loved you?”

“Well, yeah.”

Amélie gently cupped Lena’s chin and lifted her head.  “Then she did not die hating you. Yes, she might have been angry with you, but I sincerely doubt that one transgression would be enough for her to no longer love you.  I believe that if she could be here now, she would forgive you.”

Lena sniffled.  “You...you really think that.”

“I do.”

Lena mulled over her word for a bit.  “...Thanks.”

Another silence fell over them, but this one felt a bit more comfortable.

“Well, I should probably get going.” Lena said after a minute.

Amélie hm’d.  “Actually, Lena, before you go…”

“Yeah?”

“I’m not sure if it’s my place to say this, but...I think you should tell your parents.”

“W-what!?”

Amélie held up a hand to calm her.  “I just think that it will not be as bad as you fear.  I admit that I do not know you parents as well as you do, but from what I have learned, they truly _do_ love you.  You should trust them.”  She let you a soft sigh. “At least consider it.”

Lena looked pained.  “I...I’ll think about it.”

Amélie smiled.  “That is all I ask.”  She glanced at the clock.  “Now then, it is getting late.  We should get some rest.”

“Yeah.  I’ll see you around, I guess.” Lena said opening the door and stepping out into the hall.

“Lena.”

“Huh?”

“One last thing.” Amélie said stepping closer to her.  “If you are going to kiss a girl goodbye, it is bad form to not at least wait to see if she wants to kiss you back.”

With that Amélie leaned in and placed a gentle kiss to her lips.  She pulled back with a teasing “Goodnight.” before returning to her room and closing the door, leaving a stunned Lena to gawp after her.

 

* * *

 

 

“Why do we watch this show?”

“It used to be good.”

“Then why do we still watch it?”

“Force of habit, I guess.”

Diane leaned against her husband as they lazily watched television.  Their careers tended to keep them both busy, so they always made it a point to relax together when they could.

“Should we change the channel?  Look for something else?”

“Mum?  Dad?”

James and Diane turned at the sudden sound of their daughter’s voice.

Lena stood in the doorway, clearly nervous about something.

“Lena?  Is something wrong?”

“Can I...Can I talk to you about something?”

“Of course, dear.” Diane reassured her.

“I have-There’s something I need to tell you, but I...I’m kinda scared to.”

“Honey,” James said, “We love you, and we will always love you.  No matter what.”

Lena looked at them both.  They were looking at her with a mixture of love and concern.  They looked like they genuinely wanted to support and help her with whatever she was about to tell them.

Lena took a deep breath.  “I...I…” she shut her eyes and clenched her fists, “I’m gay.”

Lena could practically _feel_ the silence.  It was broken after a moment by her mother.

“Is that all?” Diane asked with a hint of humor in her voice.

Lena’s eyes blinked open.  They weren’t angry? She looked at them.  They were smiling lovingly at her.

“Oh sweetie.” Diane said getting up and walking over to her daughter and enveloping her in a hug.  “Honestly, we kind of figured that out a while ago.” she said with a laugh.

“Really?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“...And you’re not upset?”

“Of course not.” ame said “Why on Earth would we be?”

Lena seemed to be searching for the right words. “Well, I...You guys remember Jeremy Sweeny?”

“He was your classmate in primary school, yes?”

“Yeah.  He...He came out to his parents.  A few days later he disappeared. Everyone said that he got sent away because he was gay.”

“Ah.  I see.” James said.  “I think you must not have heard about what really happened.”

“Huh?”

“Jeremy was not sent away because he was gay.  His mother was actually fine with it. His father on the other hand...he tried to beat the gay out of the poor boy.  His mother tried to prevent it, and he put her in hospital. I was the prosecuting attorney in the trial. After he was convicted, Jeremy’s mother filed for divorce and moved herself and Jeremy back to her hometown in Gloucestershire.  I try not to discuss my work with you two, because it can get ugly and disturbing like that.”

“Oh.  But what about other... rich families?  Won’t they be upset that I’m not going to ‘carry on the bloodline’?”

“Oh, sod ‘em if they are.” Diane said, eliciting a laugh from her husband.

“Exactly.  Though, if I’m honest, I can’t really recall anyone I know expressing any homophobic sentiments.”

Diane’s face suddenly fell.  “Lena? Is that why you were so upset after the crash?”

Lena nodded.  “Emily...she...we were together.”

Diane pulled her into another hug.  “Oh, sweetheart. I’m so sorry.” They were joined in the hug by James as Lena cried.

Over the following half hour, Lena explained everything.  Her relationship with Emily. The argument before the test flight.  How she had fallen into a depression afterwards. How her fear of telling them had caused her to isolate herself.  The whole time, Diane and James listened attentively and offered their sympathies.

“Sorry I pushed you guys away like that.”

“We’re just happy to have you back.  We’ve missed you so much.”

“I missed you too.”

The three embraced in another hug.

“I, uh... this is kinda awkward, but, would...would it be alright if I asked Amélie out?”

Diane laughed and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Go get her, Luv.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I think I've reached a good pausing point with this chapter, so I'm gonna put this story on a little hiatus while I work on/start a couple of other stories.
> 
> As always, thank you to everyone who has been leaving kudos and/or comments. It really means a lot to me. I know I don't always respond to comments, but I assure you they are very much appreciated.


End file.
